$258,000 raised at ball for Free Clinic

The Free Clinic of Southwest Washington brought in more than a quarter-million dollars at its annual Holiday Ball on Dec. 3.

The money will provide free health care for children and adults who aren’t insured and have no other options. The Free Clinic is supported by volunteers and the local community and is the major provider of free medical and preventive care in Southwest Washington. The year 2010 saw 10,929 patient visits to the clinic and 9,834 prescriptions filled at its dispensary, all at no cost to the patient.

The annual Holiday Ball typically covers 20 percent of the clinic’s annual expenses. This year, $258,000 was raised.

“This significant support from our community comes at a time when 13.3 percent of Clark County residents are without health insurance,” said executive director Barbe West.

The Holiday Ball was sponsored by PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center and emceed by Mark Mathias of Beaches Restaurant. Other sponsors were First Independent, Big Al’s, Kaiser Permanente, The Vancouver Clinic, Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center, Providence Health System, Southwest Society of Optometric Physicians, Northwest Natural Products, Clark County State Farm Insurance Agents, David & Patricia Nierenberg, James and Randi Holland, and Rand Jewelers.

For information on the Free Clinic of Southwest Washington, visit http://freeclinics.org.